A Chicago blogging lawyer is facing an ethics complaint for describing what she believes to be Illinois' corrupt probate system. Joanne Denison, patent and trademark attorney at Denison & Associates, has been accused of undermining the administration of justice. The blog entries at issue identified court-appointed guardians by name and labeled them as "tortfeasors."

Denison says she does not intend to take down her blog. The ethics commission describes Denison's comments as false or a reckless disregard of the truth, and they have set a hearing on the matter.

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Comments

That seems to be a violation of freedom of speech. An individual's opinion, even unsubstantiated, should not be able to be policed by any bar association. Whether the opinion is printed or oral seems of no relevance. Pehaps there are some additional alleged facts that could possibly be of significance for such action? My imagination does not come up with any.

A person damaged (slandered or libled) has adequate remedy to pursue on their own. The court system can under the right circumstances attempt to limit that freedom by contempt procedures.